the two brothers-第45节

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Go；　and　God　be　with　you！　Try　to　get　alone　with　your　uncle。　If；　in

spite　of　all　your　genius；　you　can't　manage　it；　that　in　itself　will

throw　some　light　upon　their　scheme。　But　if　you　do　get　a　moment　alone

with　him；　out　of　ear…shot；　damn　it；　you　must　pull　the　wool　from　his

eyes　as　to　the　situation　those　two　have　put　him　in；　and　plead　your

mother's　cause。〃







CHAPTER　XII



At　four　o'clock；　Joseph　crossed　the　open　space　which　separated　the

Rouget　house　from　the　Hochon　house；a　sort　of　avenue　of　weakly

lindens；　two　hundred　feet　long　and　of　the　same　width　as　the　rue　Grande

Narette。　When　the　nephew　arrived；　Kouski；　in　polished　boots；　black

cloth　trousers；　white　waistcoat；　and　black　coat；　announced　him。　The

table　was　set　in　the　large　hall；　and　Joseph；　who　easily　distinguished

his　uncle；　went　up　to　him；　kissed　him；　and　bowed　to　Flore　and　Max。



〃We　have　not　seen　each　other　since　I　came　into　the　world；　my　dear

uncle；〃　said　the　painter　gayly；　〃but　better　late　than　never。〃



〃You　are　very　welcome；　my　friend；〃　said　the　old　man；　looking　at　his

nephew　in　a　dull　way。



〃Madame；〃　Joseph　said　to　Flore　with　an　artist's　vivacity；　〃this

morning　I　was　envying　my　uncle　the　pleasure　he　enjoys　in　being　able　to

admire　you　every　day。〃



〃Isn't　she　beautiful？〃　said　the　old　man；　whose　dim　eyes　began　to

shine。



〃Beautiful　enough　to　be　the　model　of　a　great　painter。〃



〃Nephew；〃　said　Rouget；　whose　elbow　Flore　was　nudging；　〃this　is

Monsieur　Maxence　Gilet；　a　man　who　served　the　Emperor；　like　your

brother；　in　the　Imperial　Guard。〃



Joseph　rose；　and　bowed。



〃Your　brother　was　in　the　dragoons；　I　believe；〃　said　Maxence。　〃I　was

only　a　dust…trotter。〃



〃On　foot　or　on　horseback；〃　said　Flore；　〃you　both　of　you　risked　your

skins。〃



Joseph　took　note　of　Max　quite　as　much　as　Max　took　note　of　Joseph。　Max；

who　got　his　clothes　from　Paris；　was　dressed　as　the　young　dandies　of

that　day　dressed　themselves。　A　pair　of　light…blue　cloth　trousers；　made

with　very　full　plaits；　covered　his　feet　so　that　only　the　toes　and　the

spurs　of　his　boots　were　seen。　His　waist　was　pinched　in　by　a　white

waistcoat　with　chased　gold　buttons；　which　was　laced　behind　to　serve　as

a　belt。　The　waistcoat；　buttoned　to　the　throat；　showed　off　his　broad

chest；　and　a　black　satin　stock　obliged　him　to　hold　his　head　high；　in

soldierly　fashion。　A　handsome　gold　chain　hung　from　a　waistcoat　pocket；

in　which　the　outline　of　a　flat　watch　was　barely　seen。　He　was　twisting

a　watch…key　of　the　kind　called　a　〃criquet；〃　which　Breguet　had　lately

invented。



〃The　fellow　is　fine…looking；〃　thought　Joseph；　admiring　with　a

painter's　eye　the　eager　face；　the　air　of　strength；　and　the

intellectual　gray　eyes　which　Max　had　inherited　from　his　father；　the

noble。　〃My　uncle　must　be　a　fearful　bore；　and　that　handsome　girl　takes

her　compensations。　It　is　a　triangular　household；　I　see　that。〃



At　this　instant；　Baruch　and　Francois　entered。



〃Have　you　been　to　see　the　tower　of　Issoudun？〃　Flore　asked　Joseph。　〃No？

then　if　you　would　like　to　take　a　little　walk　before　dinner；　which　will

not　be　served　for　an　hour；　we　will　show　you　the　great　curiosity　of　the

town。〃



〃Gladly；〃　said　the　artist；　quite　incapable　of　seeing　the　slightest

impropriety　in　so　doing。



While　Flore　went　to　put　on　her　bonnet；　gloves；　and　cashmere　shawl；

Joseph　suddenly　jumped　up；　as　if　an　enchanter　had　touched　him　with　his

wand；　to　look　at　the　pictures。



〃Ah！　you　have　pictures；　indeed；　uncle！〃　he　said；　examining　the　one

that　had　caught　his　eye。



〃Yes；〃　answered　the　old　man。　〃They　came　to　us　from　the　Descoings；　who

bought　them　during　the　Revolution；　when　the　convents　and　churches　in

Berry　were　dismantled。〃



Joseph　was　not　listening；　he　was　lost　in　admiration　of　the　pictures。



〃Magnificent！〃　he　cried。　〃Oh！　what　painting！　that　fellow　didn't　spoil

his　canvas。　Dear；　dear！　better　and　better；　as　it　is　at　Nicolet's〃



〃There　are　seven　or　eight　very　large　ones　up　in　the　garret；　which　were

kept　on　account　of　the　frames；〃　said　Gilet。



〃Let　me　see　them！〃　cried　the　artist；　and　Max　took　him　upstairs。



Joseph　came　down　wildly　enthusiastic。　Max　whispered　a　word　to　the

Rabouilleuse；　who　took　the　old　man　into　the　embrasure　of　a　window；

where　Joseph　heard　her　say　in　a　low　voice；　but　still　so　that　he　could

hear　the　words：



〃Your　nephew　is　a　painter；　you　don't　care　for　those　pictures；　be　kind；

and　give　them　to　him。〃



〃It　seems；〃　said　Jean…Jacques；　leaning　on　Flore's　arm　to　reach　the

place　were　Joseph　was　standing　in　ecstasy　before　an　Albano；　〃it　seems

that　you　are　a　painter〃



〃Only　a　'rapin；'〃　said　Joseph。



〃What　may　that　be？〃　asked　Flore。



〃A　beginner；〃　replied　Joseph。



〃Well；〃　continued　Jean…Jacques；　〃if　these　pictures　can　be　of　any　use

to　you　in　your　business；　I　give　them　to　you；but　without　the　frames。

Oh！　the　frames　are　gilt；　and　besides；　they　are　very　funny；　I　will

put〃



〃Well　done；　uncle！〃　cried　Joseph；　enchanted；　〃I'll　make　you　copies　of

the　same　dimensions；　which　you　can　put　into　the　frames。〃



〃But　that　will　take　your　time；　and　you　will　want　canvas　and　colors；〃

said　Flore。　〃You　will　have　to　spend　money。　Come；　Pere　Rouget；　offer

your　nephew　a　hundred　francs　for　each　copy；　here　are　twenty…seven

pictures；　and　I　think　there　are　eleven　very　big　ones　in　the　garret

which　ought　to　cost　double；call　the　whole　four　thousand　francs。　Oh；

yes；〃　she　went　on；　turning　to　Joseph；　〃your　uncle　can　well　afford　to

pay　you　four　thousand　francs　for　making　the　copies；　since　he　keeps　the

framesbut　bless　me！　you'll　want　frames；　and　they　say　frames　cost

more　than　pictures；　there's　more　gold　on　them。　Answer；　monsieur；〃　she

continued；　shaking　the　old　man's　arm。　〃Hein？　it　isn't　dear；　your

nephew　will　take　four　thousand　francs　for　new　pictures　in　the　place　of

the　old　ones。　It　is；〃　she　whispered　in　his　ear；　〃a　very　good　way　to

give　him　four　thousand　francs；　he　doesn't　look　to　me　very　flush〃



〃Well；　nephew；　I　will　pay　you　four　thousand　francs　for　the　copies〃



〃No；　no！〃　said　the　honest　Joseph；　〃four　thousand　francs　and　the

pictures；　that's　too　much；　the　pictures；　don't　you　see；　are

valuable〃



〃Accept；　simpleton！〃　said　Flore；　〃he　is　your　uncle；　you　know。〃



〃Very　good；　I　accept；〃　said　Joseph；　bewildered　by　the　luck　that　had

befallen　him；　for　he　had　recognized　a　Perugino。



The　result　was　that　the　artist　beamed　with　satisfaction　as　he　went　out

of　the　house　with　the　Rabouilleuse　on　his　arm；　all　of　which　helped

Maxence's　plans　immensely。　Neither　Flore；　nor　Rouget；　nor　Max；　nor

indeed　any　one　in　Issoudun　knew　the　value　of　the　pictures；　and　the

crafty　Max　thought　he　had　bought　Flore's　triumph　for　a　song；　as　she

paraded　triumphantly　before　the　eyes　of　the　astonished　town；　leaning

on　the　arm　of　her　master's　nephew；　and　evidently　on　the　best　of　terms

with　him。　People　flocked　to　their　doors　to　see　the　crab…girl's　triumph

over　the　family。　This　astounding　event　made　the　sensation　on　which　Max

counted；　so　that　when　they　all　returned　at　five　o'clock；　nothing　was

talked　of　in　every　household　but　the　cordial　understanding　between　Max

and　Flore　and　the　nephew　of　old　Rouget。　The　incident　of　the　pictures

and　the　four　thousand　francs　circulated　already。　The　dinner；　at　which

Lousteau；　one　of　the　court　judges；　and　the　Mayor　of　Issoudun　were

present；　was　splendid。　It　was　one　of　those　provincial　dinners　lasting

five　hours。　The　most　exquisite　wines　enlivened　the　conversation。　By

nine　o'clock；　at　dessert；　the　painter；　seated　opposite　to　his　uncle；

and　between　Flore　and　Max；　had　fraternized　with　the　soldier；　and

thought　him　the　best　fellow　on　earth。　Joseph　returned　home　at　eleven

o'clock　somewhat　tipsy。　As　to　old　Rouget；　Kouski　had　carried　him　to

his　bed　dead…drunk；　he　had　eaten　as　though　he　were　an　actor　from

foreign　parts；　and　had　soaked　up　the　wine　like　the　sands　of　the

desert。



〃Well；〃　said　Max　when　he　was　alone　with　Flore；　〃isn't　this　better　than

making　faces　at　them？　The　Bridaus　are　well　received；　they　get　small

presents；　and　are　smothered　with　attentions；　and　the　end　of　it　is　they

will　sing　our　praises；　they　will　go　away　satisfied　and　leave　us　in

peace。　To…morrow　morning　you　and　I　and　Kouski　will　take　down　all　those

pictures　and　send　them　over　to　the　painter；　so　that　he　shall　see　them

when　he　wakes　up。　We　will　put　the　frames　in　the　garret；　and　cover　the

walls　with　one　of　those　varnished　papers　which　represent　scenes　from

Telemachus；　such　as　I　have　seen　at　Monsieur　Mouilleron's。〃



〃Oh；　that　will　be　much　prettier！〃　said　Flore。



On　the　morrow；　Joseph　did　not　wake　up　till　midday。　From　his　bed　he　saw

the　pictures；　which　had　been　brought　in　while　he　was　asleep；　leaning

one　against　another　on　the　opposite　wall。　While　he　examined　them　anew；

recognizing　each　masterpiece；　studying　the　manner　of　each　painter；　and

searching　for　the　signature；　his　mother　had　gone　to　see　and　thank　her

brother；　urged　thereto　by　old　Hochon；　who；　having　heard　of　the　fo